The Green Room

Mary Ellen from Kamloops, BC writes:

I have been enjoying Lindsay’s green recipes for cleaning. Last week I made some more laundry soap but used liquid castile soap instead of grating a soap bar. I used 1/2 cup of castile and it has "worked out." I’ve tried to find a recipe to make sure I am using enough soap, but have had no luck on the web. Can you recommend the appropriate amount of castile soap for your laundry soap recipe?

Lindsay responds:

The laundry soap rule that I’ve come across again and again is this ratio 50:25:25 for soap flakes: washing soda: Borax.

Of course this is something worth experimenting with, as it depends on your water hardness (soft water = less washing soda) and washing machine. Castile soap is amazing and can be used for many things, including the laundry soap recipe we provided. Instead though, I use soap flakes because they are significantly cheaper. Don’t be afraid to make your own signature recipe!

C.D. from Vancouver writes:

I have some old cleaners that I don’t use such as Tilex, Orange Glo, etc. What should I do with them since I now use natural cleaners? I don’t really want to dump them down the drain, but perhaps that’s the only way to get rid of them?

Lindsay replies:

Great question! So now that you’ve made the switch you need to safely dispose of the toxic stew of products. They are likely labeled as flammable, toxic, hazardous, etc. and this means they have to be treated as such — hazardous waste, that is.

Depending on your city or town, you’ll have to check in with your respective depot. Each city or town has a municipal waste facility that will accept batteries, paints, and Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) like toilet bowl cleaner. See if you can drop it off there and good on you for not pouring it down the drain!

Have you considered making your own home cleaners? It’s a lot cheaper and very effective. See our issue of the David Suzuki Nature Challenge newsletter where I show you via video how to make your own and give you the recipes too. Check them out at queenofgreen.org .

Sarah from Saskatchewan writes:

I don’t have a lot of money to make big upgrades for energy saving features, but I try and do little things. I still drive my car for errands, but instead of just hopping in and going whenever I feel like it, I plan my trips and routes to be more efficient and delay trips until I can carpool with someone else.

To save money, I ride my bike to work in the summer. In the winter, I ride the bus and actually enjoy it as I can read a book on the way home and relax. I unplug electronics when I’m not at home, and I turn off lights and electronics when I’m not using them. I am consciencious of how long I stay in the shower, and I don’t water my lawn (and it’s still green!). I get a good workout using a manual mower (and save money on gas) and pulling weeds by hand (no pesticides!). And I feel better for spending time outside.

I did spend money on a programmable thermostat, and that was well spent, as I have saved a lot on energy since. Throwing an extra blanket on the bed and turning down the heat by one more degree at night can make a big difference. I don’t hold the fridge open, I vacuum the coils regularly, and I use my own muscles to mix dough rather than running an electric mixer. I’m proud to say that I’ve made a difference doing the little things, and I hope I can encourage others to do the same and show them that they don’t have to spend money to go green.

Briar writes the David Suzuki Nature Challenge:

A Clorox spokesperson says bleach breaks down to harmless salts and water. Is this true? I thought bleach was bad for fish!

Lindsay replies:

Bleach is bad, you’re right. You’ll see info about the harmful properties of bleach in many pieces of literature, just likely not by the company who makes it. In addition to the green cleaning recipes we provided David Suzuki Nature Challengers with, we’ll soon have a list up of harmful ingredients. Do visit www.queenofgreen.ca for the recipes so you can avoid bleach all together. White vinegar and baking soda work just as well to disinfect everything from your toilet bowl to the cat litter box!

Here’s what my sources say about chlorine bleach:

1. Bleach or Sodium Hyperchlorite is not considered a carcinogen or reproductive toxin. It’s the chlorine used to make the bleach which is toxic to produce and acutely toxic to fish. Source: CancerSmart 3.0, Labour Environmental Alliance Society

2. Chlorine is a gas created through electrolysis of salt water. It produces a toxic chemical and deadly by-products like dioxins. When using chlorine bleach it creates small amounts of organochlorines which are very dangerous. These organochlorines can cause reproductive, endocrine and immune system disorders. When released into the environment chlorine forms compounds that have been inked to cancer. Source: ToxicSmart Alternatives, Georgia Strait Alliance.

Basically, you don’t need bleach. A sprinkle of baking soda in the washing machine or a day in the sunshine will get your whites, white. Plus, chlorine bleach is highly caustic and poisons many children each year, and contributes to poor indoor air quality because it’s a pollutant.

Debby Harris from Richmond, BC writes:

We are a Richmond, BC company that has been producing and selling guestroom amenities (toiletries) to upscale hotels, resorts, airlines and cruise ships for 20 years. We have been concerned about the environment for numerous years. In fact, in 1998 we developed and patented a compartmentalized recycling basket called the "Waste-Not-Basket" to drive guest recycling in hotel rooms. These are now sold to over 200 properties throughout North America.

More recently, we have been introduced to a new material called PSM (or Plastarch), a biodegradable product made from cornstarch resin. Today it is being produced for products such as shower caps, utensils, golf tees, garbage bags, toothbrushes, etc. However, we are concerned about its ability to biodegrade in landfills, and certainly don’t want to produce more methane gas or other noxious emissions than if we continued providing recyclable plastic bottles for our amenity programs.

Can you guide me to an authority on plastics who can give us the straight-goods on PSM and other biodegradable materials? We certainly want to contribute to improving our environment and value your opinions.

Lindsay replies:

Your business initiative to get hotels and others recycling sounds great. There are quite a few hotels that market themselves as "green" for this very reason. With respect to your question on bioplastics, it’s a good one, although not something the Foundation has researched. I can give you some information to get you started and then you’ll need to do a bunch more reading and asking around.

Issue 1: Using cornstarch or soy instead of petroleum to make plastic uses 3-4 times less Co2, and the production uses about 68% less fossil fuels.

Issue 2: Most bioplastic bags, containers, etc. won’t biodegrade under the conditions of a backyard composter. You’d have to quiz your supplier about this in detail. How biodegradable is it? How long does it take? Can people put it in their home composter or does it need to go to a specific facility? For instance, I’ve seen claims that one product that was 100% compostable and biodegradable breaks down within 3-6 months in a commercial composter or 4-5 months in a home composter. How long will they take to breakdown in a landfill is unknwon.

Issue 3: Cornstarch-based bioplastics can be made from GMO (Genetically Modified Organism). Half the corn grown in the U.S. is GMO. This is yet another layer.

It sounds like you need to find out how long these materials take to break down in a typical landfill, unless you’re certain they will go to a specific composting facility. Best of luck with your quest!

Jennie Thorner from Vancouver, BC writes:

I would like to compile a list of companies known for testing on animals. I want to make sure I’m making wise consumer choices and would like a reliable source to tell me which companies test on animals. A list or more information would be much appreciated!

Lindsay replies:

Testing on animals is not a topic that we have become involved in to date. The good news is that I plan to profile "labeling" in general in a future David Suzuki Nature Challenge newsletter . It will translate what certain labels mean, like fair trade, FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), EnergyStar, etc. It will also show you how to make your own products by using simple ingredients not tested on animals!

Personally, I was recently doing a search for such a list and found one in a book called "The Rough Guide to Shopping with a Conscience." Animal testing still happens today and there is no regulation around the labeling of "cruelty-free," "no animal testing," "not tested on animals," etc. The bottom line is to look for the White Rabbit logo .

Below is the long list I copied from the book, but I’d suggest you get the source as it has more detail and an explanation of how they derived the list. Also, because the David Suzuki Foundation is a non-profit organization we cannot recommend brands that we are for or against. You see, we just don’t test them or watchdog the companies. It’s really up to you to decide.

If this sort of thing interests you, I’d suggest you pick up "Not Just A Pretty Face ." I just finished it on the weekend and it’s a very empowering read! So, who tests on animals as listed in the book "The Rough Guide to Shopping with a Conscience."

* Chesebrough-Ponds: makes Ponds, Vaseline
* Church & Dwight: makes Aim, Arm & Hammer, Close-Up, Nair
* Clairol: makes Aussie, Daily Defense, Herbal Essences, Infusium 23
* Clorox: ArmourAll, Glad, Liquid Plumber, Pine-Sol, Soft Scrub, SOS, Tilex
* Colgate Palmolive: Ajax, Fab, Mennen, Palmolive, Soft Soap, Speed Stick
* COTY: Adidas, Calvin Klein, Glow, The Healing Garden, Jovan, Kenneth Cole, Marc Jacob, Rimmel, Stetson
* Dial: Purex
* Helene Curtis Industries: Finesse, Salon Selectives, Thermasilk
* Johnson & Johnson: Aveeno, Clean & Clear, Neutrogena
* Kimberley-Clark Corp: Cottonelle, Huggies, Kleenex, Kotex, Pull-Ups, Scott Paper
* L’Oreal USA: Biotherm, Garnier, Giorgio Armani, Lancome, Maybelline, Ralph Lauren, Redken, Soft Sheen, Vichy
* Malaleauca
* Olay
* Pantene
* Pfizer: Ben Gay, Listerine, Lubriderm, Plax, Visine
* Playtex: Baby Magic, Banana Boat, Ogilvie
* Proctor & Gamble: Cover Girl, Crest, Iams, Max Factor, Tide
* Reckitt Benckiser: Easy Off, Lysol, Mop & Glo, Old English, Resolve, Spray N’ Wash, Veet, Woolite, Coppertone, Dr. Scholl’s
* S.C. Johnson: Drano, Edge, Fantastik, Glade, OFF!, Oust, Pledge, Scrubbing Bubbles, Shout, Skintimate, Windex, Ziploc
* 3M: Post-it, Scotch
* Unilever: Axe, Dove, Lever, Suave

Lindsay Queen of Green has had a bunch of people comment that they’re in love with their microfiber cloths. She says: if you’ve seen them you’ll know that you only need water to do surface cleaning of your home. Great. Farewell toxic cleaning products!

Well, there’s a catch. Microfiber cloths are made from petroleum-based fabrics. That’s right, a non-renewable resource. But one could argue that the life span of such a cloth and its ability to reduce toxic cleaning products in your home — plus the fact that you’re not using paper products — still makes microfiber cloths a desirable choice. And that’s the best part — you have a choice!